1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to stylus removal mechanisms and, particularly, to a stylus removal mechanism for use in removing a stylus from portable electronic devices, such as portable computer devices and portable/mobile telephones.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
At present, portable computer devices, such as palm-top computers, hand-held computers, laptop computers, and personal digital assistants (PDAs), have become increasingly popular. Many of these portable computer devices include an electronic stylus or pen which can be utilized by a user to input information into the computer and/or to select menu options or otherwise navigate through the graphical user interfaces of an operating system or the current software application. Some portable telephones also include an electronic stylus or pen that can be utilized by a user to input information.
Currently, the stylus is either clipped to the outer housing of a given portable electronic device or stored inside the housing thereof. Clipping the stylus to the outside of the housing provides convenient access to the stylus but also carries the disadvantage that the stylus can be easily dislodged from the clip by inadvertent contact with objects, such as the inner surfaces of a carrying case or other objects in the carrying case. Storing the stylus inside the housing provides more security to the stylus but suffers from the disadvantage that the user must take additional steps in order to release the stylus from its place of storage. For example, in one case, a user may be required to reach into the housing to grasp the stylus. In another instance, a user may be required to push the pen further into the housing in order to activate a “door lock release” that will push the stylus out of the housing when the user pushes the pen further into the housing. In other alternates, the portable electronic device may include a stylus removal mechanism with a push button is provided outside thereof to facilitate release of the stylus. Such a stylus removal mechanism is convenient for providing a stylus to a user, but the related stylus removal mechanism is commonly complex and not compact.
Therefore, there is a need for a new stylus removal mechanism, which is a simple, compact, and convenient mechanism for providing a stylus to a user in a manner that avoids and overcomes the disadvantages set forth previously.